The forerunner of the OECD was the Organization for European Economic Co-operation, which was formed to administer American and Canadian aid under the Marshall Plan for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. Since it took over from the OEEC in 1961, the vocation of OECD, joining at present 34 member countries (including Portugal), has been to build strong economies in its member countries, improve efficiency, hone market systems, expand free trade and contribute to the development and the industrialization of the countries.
After more than four decades, the OECD is moving beyond a focus on its own countries and is setting its analytical sights on the countries that, on the whole world, embrace the market economy. The Organization is, for example, putting the benefit of its accumulated experience to the service of emerging market economies, particularly in the countries that are making their transition from centrally planned to capitalist systems. The main objective of the OECD is the good governance of public and private sectors.
OECD adopts international instruments, decisions and recommendations, to promote standards or multilateral agreements, necessary to ensure nation progress within an increasingly global economy.
Dialogue, consensus and peer pressure are truly the main focus of the OECD. The Council, directed by a Secretary General, is the deliberative body, and is constituted by representative of member countries, being entrusted with the direction of the work of the organization’s specific committees, the adoption of decisions and recommendations and the approval of the annual budget.
ANACOM participates actively in the OECD, especially the Committee on Digital Economy Policy (CDEP), previously the Committee for Information, Computer and Communications Policy (CICCP), and three Committee working parties: Working Party on Communication Infrastructures and Services Policy; Working Party on Security and Privacy in the Digital Economy (former Working Party on Information Security and Privacy); and Working Party on Measurement and Analysis in the Digital Economy (former Working Party on Indicators for the Information Society).
The CDEP seeks to develop coherent policy and a regulatory framework to support competition, investment and innovation in the digital economy, facilitating convergence and promoting widespread access to broadband networks, to services, applications and terminals. It also works to strengthen cooperation between member states and between member and non-member states.
Meanwhile, ANACOM takes part in the preparation of OECD publications, including the "OECD Digital Economy Outlook", which analyses current and future developments of the digital economy and how policies should be adapted. This publication replaced the ''Communications Outlook'' and ''Internet Economy Outlook''.
Further information:
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) http://www.oecd.org
- OECD.org - Portugal http://www.oecd.org/portugal/
- OECD Legal Instruments https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/
